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U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau’s epic par trumped by Johnson Wagner u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,s,epic,par,trumped,by,johnson,wagner,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news,liv-golf

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Did Johnson Wagner win the U.S. Open?

He might have.

After Bryson DeChambeau triumphed over Rory McIlroy in epic fashion at Pinehurst No. 2, Wagner, now a Golf Channel legend, decided to re-enact the best shot of the day: DeChambeau’s third from the sand on 18.

During the tournament, DeChambeau faced a 55-yard shot from the bunker, a daunting shot often regarded as the most difficult in professional golf. DeChambeau proceeded to execute it perfectly with a 55-degree wedge, stuffing his approach to four feet. He then made the putt for par, thus clinching his second U.S. Open title.

About two hours later, after DeChambeau paraded around Pinehurst No. 2, embracing all the fans, Wagner picked that shot for his famous demonstration.

Mind you, Wagner has become a golf celebrity in recent months simply because of these short segments. Since The Players Championship in March, Wagner, on live television, has: hummed balls into the side of a hill, roped a punch shot off a tree, climbed into the woods to asses a Xander Schauffele ruling, twice got the yips on air, and then, this week, he walked through why Tony Finau and Ludvig Åberg collapsed on the 13th hole.

But nothing could top what he did on Sunday.

After rocketing an attempt over the green, DeChambeau pulled up to the spot where he played his now-famous shot and embraced Wagner. Then, DeChambeau told Wagner to hit another one, with the champion as a witness. He also provided some insight on how to play the shot.

With a 50-degree wedge in hand, Wagner hit a perfect chunk and run. His ball landed on the green and rolled towards the cup, just as DeChambeau’s did in regulation.

But Wagner’s ball stopped even closer than DeChambeau’s, which elicited a massive celebration from the now-reigning U.S. Open champion and Golf Channel’s newest, and now, biggest star.

Considering Wagner’s trials and tribulations on live television this year, he celebrated this shot with authority. DeChambeau even handed him the trophy, which Wagner jokingly accepted with a big smile on his face.

Live From the U.S. Open has always been the go-to show for golf fans before, during, and after major championships, but Wagner’s presence has made that even more so.

So congratulations on winning the 124th U.S. Open, Johnson Wagner. You deserve it.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau’s win has fans singing his praises u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,s,win,has,fans,singing,his,praises,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-fan-reactions,liv-golf

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Bryson DeChambeau is now a two-time U.S. Open champion as he conquered Pinehurst No. 2 in epic fashion on Sunday.

DeChambeau hit an incredible 55-yard bunker shot that rolled to three feet on the 18th hole. He then made his par putt just like Payne Stewart famously did 25 years ago. That final putt put the finishing touches on a 1-over 71, which had him finishing at 6-under-par, one stroke ahead of Rory McIlroy.

When DeChambeau needed his best, he provided it in the biggest moment. That bunker shot may go down as one of the greatest in golf history, given the difficulty and the circumstances. If he had not executed that shot the way he did, there could have been a playoff, at least.

Nevertheless, the LIV Golf captain won the crowd over this week at Pinehurst.

Chants of USA-USA-USA and De-Cham-beau, De-Cham-beau, De-Cham-beau whistled across the course. The fans loved him, and DeChambeau’s image change seems complete.

After he won, social media messages flourished. Fans praised the two-time U.S. Open winner for his performance on the course and for his remarkable display of talent.

All DeChambeau wants to do is grow golf.

These reactions to his winning the U.S. Open showed he is already achieving that goal:

This video of him running around with the U.S. Open trophy so the crowd could touch it is priceless. He told fans to try and touch it, so DeChambeau attempted to make it happen. Not everyone gets to feel the U.S. Open trophy, but DeChambeau may not have won without this crowd.

Golf influencer Paige Spiranac said it perfectly, “Such amazing golf, drama and entertainment! This is what golf needs.”

This sport needs a personality like DeChambeau.

ESPN’s Jeff Darlington also made a good point about DeChambeau—he is a needle mover. People flock to him and get excited when the LIV Golf star does well.

Even Brooks Koepka congratulated his fellow LIV Golf member.

DeChambeau now has two U.S. Open’s—only the 23rd player in history to achieve this, and he did so dramatically. Better yet, he joins Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods in winning a U.S. Amateur title and multiple U.S. Opens. That’s pretty good company.

The third major of the year did not disappoint, and much like the PGA Championship, DeChambeau continues to show how incredible golf can be.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau outlasts Rory McIlroy, wins u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,outlasts,rory,mcilroy,wins,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

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Words can barely describe the scenes that played out down the stretch at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday.

But in the end, Bryson DeChambeau emerged victorious, winning his second U.S. Open title in four years. He shot a 1-over 71 on Sunday, needing every single stroke to outlast Rory McIlroy by one.

It all came down to the 18th hole, where McIlroy, in the group ahead of DeChambeau, missed a 3-foot-9-inch par putt to drop down to 5-under for the championship. Had that putt dropped, McIlroy likely would have forced a playoff with DeChambeau, who stood in the fairway at 6-under.

DeChambeau made a brilliant par save to seize the title. His drive went way left off the tee and settled on a root under a tree. He then scuttled his second shot up and into the bunker 50 yards short of the green, greatly diminishing his chances of saving par.

Yet, he got the job done. DeChambeau hit a wonderful third shot from the sand, as it stopped four feet away from the cup. He called it the greatest shot of his life during the ceremony afterward.

DeChambeau then went on to roll it in for par, much unlike McIlroy minutes before.

Meanwhile, this loss will hurt McIlroy for years to come. He had a terrific chance to seize his first major in a decade and held a two-shot lead at one point on the back nine. But his putter went completely cold over the final three holes. He missed a 2-foot-6-inch putt on the 16th hole, which not only horrified everyone watching but also put him in a tie with DeChambeau at 6-under. McIlroy also made a bogey on the par-3 15th after air-mailing the green.

Then his misstep at 18 happened, giving DeChambeau the opportunity to make par and win the U.S. Open.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

U.S. Open: Scottie Scheffler to re-consider 2025 plans after tough week u,s,open,scottie,scheffler,to,re,consider,plans,after,tough,week,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

US Open Scottie Scheffler to re consider 2025 plans after tough
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Scottie Scheffler could not make a putt at the 124th U.S. Open, which helps explain why he made only four birdies over his four rounds.

He called it a “frustrating” week after he finished up on Sunday, adding that it was “long.” Indeed, Scheffler arrived at Pinehurst No. 2 fresh off a victory at the Memorial, his fifth win of the 2024 season. But Jack Nicklaus’ course played so tough, that many players compared it to a major championship.

That level of difficulty takes a lot out of a player, let alone the best golfer in the world, especially going into a U.S. Open. Hence, Scheffler will re-evaluate whether or not he will play in the weeks before majors going forward.

“I think playing the week before, a lot of it depends on the golf course, but I think last week with the golf course the way it was, it probably was not the best prep work for me coming into another challenging event,” Scheffler said Sunday.

Scottie Scheffler walks up the 18th hole during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open.
Photo by Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour via Getty Images

“I shot 5-under during the first round at the Memorial, which would have been the easiest day, and after that, I was 3-under from there on out. I mean, that’s pretty U.S. Open-like, and to play that many rounds, especially with what I’ve been dealing with the weeks leading up or the whole season, been playing a lot of good golf and being in contention, I think maybe my prep would have been a little bit better for this week if I was at home.”

Of course, Scheffler has had a lot happen in his life off the golf course in recent months. His arrest at the PGA Championship quickly became national news and an internet sensation. He and his wife, Meredith, also welcomed a baby boy on May 8, only nine days before he found himself in a jail cell in Louisville, Kentucky.

After that, he played in the Charles Schwab Challenge, where a remarkable tragedy happened in the middle of the tournament. Then, Scheffler skipped the RBC Canadian Open and made his next start at the Memorial.

“I’m obviously not going to skip Jack’s tournament,” Scheffler added.

“It’s a tournament I love playing. It’s a tournament that I’m humbled to be the champion at.”

Before this season, Nicklaus staged the Memorial Tournament during the first weekend of June, with the first practice round coinciding with Memorial Day.

The PGA Tour pushed it back one week this year, hoping to give golf fans three straight weeks of top-level golf. After the Memorial, the world’s best went straight to Pinehurst No. 2, and then, next week, the top players on the PGA Tour will head to the Travelers Championship, the final Signature Event of the season. Nicklaus hopes that his tournament will revert to its prior schedule, and surely, Scheffler feels the same.

“I think in terms of prep work for a week that I know is going to be as tough as this, I’m leaning towards maybe not playing the week before,” Scheffler added after Saturday’s round.

Scottie Scheffler, Tom McKibbin, U.S. Open

Scottie Scheffler and Tom McKibbin during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images

“Going into the major championships, especially the ones we know are going to be really challenging, it may be in my best interest not to play the week before.”

Scheffler echoed this sentiment after his Sunday round, too.

“As far as prep for this week, it may not have been the best, but I knew what my schedule was at the beginning of the year. I had it set,” Scheffler said.

“That was always the way it was going to be. I feel like going forward, I’ll maybe do things a little bit differently in the weeks leading up to majors, especially when you know it’s going to be a challenging setup at a U.S. Open.”

Perhaps the PGA Tour will change the date of the Memorial back to its traditional date on the heels of Memorial Day next season. But maybe it does not. Either way, Scheffler looks like he will take the week off before major championships, especially before U.S. Opens, in 2025 and beyond.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

U.S. Open: Rory McIlroy can beat Bryson DeChambeau, but how? u,s,open,rory,mcilroy,can,beat,bryson,dechambeau,but,how,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news,liv-golf

US Open Rory McIlroy can beat Bryson DeChambeau but how
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After posting a 1-under 69 on Saturday, Rory McIlroy enters the final round at 4-under, trailing 54-hole leader Bryson DeChambeau by three strokes.

Despite the deficit, McIlroy feels confident that he can get the job done and win his first major championship since 2014. So, what does McIlroy need to do to win the 124th U.S. Open?

First, he will need some help from DeChambeau. If DeChambeau shoots anything lower than a 1-under 69, the championship is his. The former SMU Mustang has carded three straight rounds in the 60s, so for him to fire another under-par score is not out of the question but rather the likeliest of possibilities.

Bryson DeChambeau on the 18th hole on Saturday.
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Still, DeChambeau has fought some left misses off the tee. He has also taken some aggressive lines, most of them paying off to this point. But one bad bounce here or another unfortunate bounce there can lead to a double-bogey, which would bring McIlroy and company back into the fray.

Nonetheless, what can McIlroy control?

First, he has to be patient. If he goes flag hunting on this course, Pinehurst No. 2 will clap back and bite him in the ass. Trying to push to make birdies and taking aggressive lines can lead to bogies or worse quickly, especially with some of these diabolical pins tucked in the corners of these ‘Turtleback’ greens.

With that said, the 3rd and 5th holes present early birdie opportunities. I think he has to play those holes in 1-under, at a minimum. By the time he reaches the 6th tee, he needs to be at -5 overall.

Rory McIlroy, U.S. Open

Rory McIlroy on the 14th tee.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

He also needs to take advantage of the par-5 10th. Earlier in the week, I wrote about how par-5 scoring is imperative for McIlroy, something he has struggled with this season. But he must birdie both par-5s on Sunday to put pressure on DeChambeau. He failed to take advantage of the par-5s last year at the Los Angeles Country Club, even making a bogey on the 14th, a big reason why he lost by one. If you recall, Wyndham Clark birdied that par-5, thanks to his stellar 3-wood that found the green. That was the difference.

I would also add the shortened par-4 13th into the mix of holes McIlroy has to make a move on. Measuring only 325 yards on Sunday, McIlroy should uncork his driver and try and get it up by the green. The pin is right in the middle, but a large slope in front of it will ricochet shots off the front. That false front starts a mere feet before the cup, requiring exquisite precision with pitches and chips. McIlroy has the talent to get it close, as he did on Saturday at 13, but he will need to do that again on Sunday.

Finally, McIlroy will have to make some putts. He is currently 45th in strokes gained putting while playing beautifully from tee to green. If he can pick up a stroke on the field with his putter on Sunday, and perhaps hole a long-range bomb, he has a great chance.

But it all comes down to DeChambeau. If DeChambeau shoots 72 and McIlroy shoots 68, there you have it. Yet Bryson is the key piece to this puzzle, as it’s his championship to lose.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

U.S. Open: Rory McIlroy confident despite Bryson DeChambeau’s lead u,s,open,rory,mcilroy,confident,despite,bryson,dechambeau,s,lead,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news,liv-golf

US Open Rory McIlroy confident despite Bryson DeChambeaus lead usopenrorymcilroyconfidentdespitebrysondechambeausleadsbnationcomfront pagegolfus open golfgolf majorsgolf pga tourgolf newsliv golf
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Rory McIlroy has a 10-year-old monkey on his back, but to shake it off, he will have to overcome a three-shot deficit during the final round of the U.S. Open.

Despite that, McIlroy, who last won a major in 2014, feels confident that he can still find a way to triumph at Pinehurst No. 2.

“I’ve got a great chance going into [Sunday],” McIlroy said after his 1-under 69.

“I love the test that Pinehurst is presenting, and you’ve got to focus and concentrate on every single shot out there. It’s what a U.S. Open should be like. It’s obviously great to be in the mix.”

The biggest obstacle in McIlroy’s path is not the challenging test that Pinehurst presents. Instead, it is Bryson DeChambeau, who shot a 3-under 67 on Saturday. DeChambeau, who is 7-under through 54 holes, is the only player to card three straight rounds in the 60s on this par 70 layout. He pulled away from the contenders on the back nine thanks to his remarkable driving prowess, aggressive iron play, and clutch putting.

Bryson DeChambeau acknowledges the fans on the 18th green.
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Yet, even DeChambeau is not immune to Pinehurst’s diabolical ‘Turtleback’ greens. Look no further than the par-4 16th hole, where DeChambeau’s second shot rolled off the front of the green. His third shot then did the same, which led to an unfortunate double-bogey.

After DeChambeau stumbled, he dropped back to 6-under for the championship, a score that McIlroy briefly sat at, too.

But the Northern Irishman made a slew of poor iron shots down the stretch, which led to a pair of bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes—both par-3s.

“The last few holes are playing very, very difficult,” McIlroy explained.

“Even 17, it’s downwind, but with that pin cut at the front, it’s hard to get that ball close, and even on 18 where that [front] hole location is.”

McIlroy had a chance to salvage his bogies with a closing birdie, but his attempt on the last slid past the hole, leaving him at 4-under for the championship. That put him in the penultimate Sunday pairing with Ryder Cup rival Patrick Cantlay.

“I’m excited about it. It would have been nice to hole that putt at the last, get to 5-under, and break out of that logjam at four. Pros and cons. Pros and cons to being in the last group, and maybe playing one group ahead might not necessarily be a bad thing,” McIlroy reasoned.

“I’m pretty much in the same position I was last year going into the final day at [the Los Angeles Country Club]. So familiar position, been here many times before, and hopefully tomorrow I produce the golf that’s needed to go one better.”

One year ago in Los Angeles, McIlroy entered the final round trailing Wyndham Clark and Rickie Fowler by a stroke at 9-under. Those two comprised the final group, while McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler went off second to last.

Rory McIlroy, U.S. Open

Rory McIlroy hits his tee shot on the 17th hole.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images

McIlroy got off to a solid start, birdieing the opening par-5. But that marked his last par-breaker of the day. His bogey at the par-5 14th ultimately sealed his fate, which left him short of another major again. He finished one behind of Clark.

Getting off to a strong start is a must for McIlroy this time around, especially since his deficit is two strokes greater than the one he faced a year ago. Pinehurst No. 2 is also a much more challenging course than the Los Angeles Country Club, which yielded a pair of record-breaking 62s last year. No one has come close to that this week.

But McIlroy believes in himself and his game plan. He still feels he can get the job done despite the adversity he faces.

“I think there’s holes where you have to be aggressive. There are holes where you have to be conservative. There are hole locations that you can take on and hit wedges close to. There are hole locations you’ve got to stay away from,” McIlroy explained.

“It tests your chipping. It tests your putting. It obviously tests your mental fortitude more than any other golf tournament. But it’s a style of golf that I’ve started to try and embrace over these last few years, and it’s the reason that my performances at the U.S. Open have been much improved over the last half a decade.”

Nobody can rival McIlroy’s U.S. Open record since 2019, even though he has not emerged victorious. That, of course, will change if DeChambeau wins Sunday, which would mark his second U.S. Open title in four years. But McIlroy feels confident that he can stop him from doing so. Whether he can get the job done is a different story.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

2024 U.S. Open: Final round tee times posted for Pinehurst u,s,open,final,round,tee,times,posted,for,pinehurst,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news,liv-golf

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Another thrilling day at Pinehurst is in the books, as Bryson DeChambeau made the course look easy. He holds a three-shot lead ahead of the final U.S. Open round.

After coming up short to Xander Schauffele at the PGA Championship, DeChambeau finds himself in control at the third major of the year.

He will play with Matthieu Pavon in the final pairing as the Crushers GC captain eyes his second U.S. Open title. DeChambeau won his first at Winged Foot in 2020.

Plenty of other big names lurk behind these two golfers. Rory McIlroy shot a 1-under 69 to sit at 4-under and three shots back. The 4-time major winner finds himself in contention at another major.

He will play with Patrick Cantlay, who finished even par on Saturday and is also at 4-under.

After three days of play at the tricky Pinehurst No. 2 track, there are only 11 players at even par or better. Seven sit in red figures.

Nevertheless, here are the starting times for Sunday’s thrilling final round at Pinehurst No. 2.

U.S. Open Final Round Tee Times (ET):

(All play will begin on the 1st hole)

7:30 a.m. — S.H. Kim, Gunnar Broin (a)

7:41 a.m. — Matthew Fitzpatrick, Jackson Suber

7:52 a.m. — Brandon Wu, Austin Eckroat

8:03 a.m. — Francesco Molinari, Ben Kohles

8:14 a.m. — Dean Burmester, Ryan Fox

8:25 a.m. — Sepp Straka, Martin Kaymer

8:36 a.m. — Greyson Sigg, Cameron Young

8:47 a.m. — Nico Echavarria, Brendon Todd

8:58 a.m. — Justin Lower, Sam Bennett

9:09 a.m. — Adam Scott, Brian Campbell

9:25 a.m. — Matt Kuchar, Frankie Capan III

9:36 a.m. — Adam Svensson, Harris English

9:47 a.m. — Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim

9:58 a.m. — Max Greyserman, Sahith Theegala

10:09 a.m. — Daniel Berger, Keegan Bradley

10:20 a.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Tom McKibbin

10:31 a.m. — Brooks Koepka, Tim Widing

10:42 a.m. — Nicolai Højgaard, Emiliano Grillo

10:53 a.m. — Isaiah Salinda, Christiaan Bezuidenhout

11:04 a.m. — Cameron Smith, Wyndham Clark

11:15 a.m. — J.T. Poston, Tommy Fleetwood

11:31 a.m. — Shane Lowry, Zac Blair

11:42 a.m. — Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk

11:53 a.m. — Denny McCarthy, Min Woo Lee

12:04 p.m. — Neal Shipley (a), Luke Clanton (a)

12:15 p.m. — Sam Burns, Stephan Jaeger

12:26 p.m. — Brian Harman, Mark Hubbard

12:37 p.m. — David Puig, Thomas Detry

12:48 p.m. — Akshay Bhatial, Russell Henley

12:59 p.m. — Davis Thompson, Xander Schauffele

1:10 p.m. — Sergio Garcia, Taylor Pendrith

1:26 p.m. — Aaron Rai, Tom Kim

1:37 p.m. — Corey Conners, Collin Morikawa

1:48 p.m. — Tony Finau, Tyrrell Hatton

1:59 p.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Hideki Matsuyama

2:10 p.m. — Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy

2:21 p.m. — Matthieu Pavon, Bryson DeChambeau

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

U.S. Open Day 3 Winners, Losers: Bryson DeChambeau dominates u,s,open,day,winners,losers,bryson,dechambeau,dominates,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions,liv-golf

US Open Day 3 Winners Losers Bryson DeChambeau dominates usopendaywinnerslosersbrysondechambeaudominatessbnationcomfront pagegolfus open golfgolf majorsgolf pga tourgolf opinionsliv golf
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Pinehurst No. 2 has once again proven itself worthy of a terrific U.S. Open venue. It has tested the best players in the world, punishing poor shots while rewarding good ones.

Hence, only eight players sit in red figures after 54 holes, with Bryson DeChambeau leading the pace at 7-under. He holds a three-shot lead over Rory McIlroy, Matthieu Pavon, and Patrick Cantlay as he eyes his second major. DeChambeau won the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in September 2020 during the pandemic.

So after another fun day at Pinehurst, here are the winners and losers from North Carolina:

Winners:

Bryson DeChambeau’s Game

Bryson DeChambeau entertained the golf world all day on Saturday. His clutch putts, his 350-yard drives, his spectacular shot from the sand on the 13th hole, and his tremendous approach on the 14th hole all added up to a 3-under 67.

He looks like one of the best golfers in the world, relying on his power and short-game finesse to take a commanding lead going into Sunday. He did stumble on the 16th hole, where he made a double bogey, but that did not phase DeChambeau at all. He bounced back with a birdie on the 17th hole, thanks to an ultra-aggressive line he took off the tee.

But every hole DeChambeau plays is must-watch television, whether he birdies or bogies. He is the most entertaining golfer on the planet, which explains why his popularity has skyrocketed.

Ultimately, if he shoots another round in the 60s on Sunday, the U.S. Open is his.

DeChambeau’s Balls

Bryson DeChambeau apparently puts his golf balls in Epsom salt before every round. A reporter asked him about it after his round, and DeChambeau’s response about his balls is priceless:

“Thanks for the salty balls question. I appreciate that. Yeah, I put my golf balls in Epsom salt. I’m lucky enough that Connor, my manager, does that now. I don’t have to do it. But essentially, we float golf balls in a solution to make sure that the golf ball is not out of balance,” DeChambeau explained.

“There was a big thing back in the day where golf balls are out of balance, and it’s just because of the manufacturing process. There’s always going to be an error, especially when it’s a sphere, and there are dimples on the edges. You can’t perfectly get it in the center. So what I’m doing is finding pretty much the out-of-balanceness of it, how much out of balance it is. Heavy slide floats to the bottom, and then we mark the top with a dot to make sure it’s always rolling over itself.”

To quote CBS Sports reporter Kyle Porter’s mantra, “Normal Sport.”

Can Rory McIlroy do it?

Rory McIlroy’s 10-year major drought has been well documented. But what amazes me about McIlroy, at least this time, is that he is back in the mix for a sixth straight U.S. Open. Despite the outside fray with LIV Golf, his dreams of a world tour, and most importantly, the uneasiness of his family life surrounding a potential divorce, McIlroy still has a chance to win a second U.S. Open title.

Rory McIlroy shakes hands with Tony Finau after their third round at the 2024 U.S. Open.
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

He shot a 1-under 69 on Saturday despite making two late bogies that stalled his momentum. And yet, anything can happen on this golf course, and McIlroy knows that. He also has plenty of confidence going into round four. Plus, he is hitting his driver better than anyone, so if he can clean up his irons a tad, he should have a shot at the end.

All of this gives McIlroy—and golf fans everywhere—hope, and hope is an amazing drug.

Losers:

Tony Finau and Ludvig Åberg

The 13th hole all but ended their chances, as Tony Finau and Ludvig Åberg made triple bogies on this short par-4.

Each golfer played a game of ‘ping-pong,’ chipping back and forth across the green, which took them out of contention. Even if each player walked away with a bogey, they would still have an outside shot at winning their first major title on Sunday. But a triple bogey is too damaging of a score to overcome. Finau now sits six shots back of Dechambeau while Åberg, the 36-hole leader, is now five.

Because of this, Johnson Wagner of the Golf Channel analyzed this hole on ‘Live From the U.S. Open’ after the round:

Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler played much better on Saturday.

But his third round was a day filled with ‘What-ifs?’ Those question marks mainly stemmed from his putter, as Scheffler could not get a putt to drop all day. He gave himself plenty of chances to climb the leaderboard, but his flat stick kept him at bay. As such, the World No. 1 settled for a 1-over 71, but he could have easily shot a score in the mid-60s.

Scottie Scheffler, U.S. Open

Scottie Scheffler during the third round.
Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

Pace of Play

My god. The final two groups played at a snail’s pace, with Patrick Cantlay and Bryson DeChambeau as the main culprits. Cantlay is notoriously slow and has been for quite some time. Just ask Brooks Koepka.

Similarly, DeChambeau, who needed to get stretched out on the 11th hole, loves to take his time. Given his scientific and mathematical approach to the game, DeChambeau has to dissect every single shot he plays, even putts from inside of 18 inches.

As such, the United States Golf Association (USGA) should have levied a penalty. They supposedly provided a warning to DeChambeau and Åberg, who, for what it’s worth, flies around a golf course, but a steeper penalty should have been assessed. Pace of play is a problem, especially considering that DeChambeau’s group—the final pairing—finished nearly 45 minutes after McIlroy’s, who played in the third to last group.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

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One hole took down two contenders on Saturday afternoon at the U.S. Open.

The short, dogleg right 13th hole, which only measures 368 yards, turned into a beast—at least for Tony Finau and Ludvig Åberg.

When Finau stepped on the 13th tee, he had just dropped back down to 4-under for the championship, thanks to a bogey at the 12th. Bogies do not kill golfers in U.S. Opens, but anything worse does.

After finding the fairway off the tee, Finau had less than 100 yards into the pin, which sat on a little shelf on the front right corner of the green. A false front repels anything a tad short, while a slope beyond the pin knocks anything long into a sand trap that must be avoided.

Accuracy on this approach was paramount, and both Finau and Åberg wound up making a mess of things.

Finau’s second shot came up short, as his ball rolled all the way down the slope, settling 30 yards short of the green. He decided to bring the putter out, but that attempt failed miserably. Finau raced his putt well past the flag, and it ended up in the bunker.

The ping-ponging had begun.

Tony Finau plays out of the greenside bunker during the third round.
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

“Didn’t have a very good lie. Didn’t really want to pitch it,” Finau said of his third shot.

“Ended up playing ping-pong there.”

His bunker shot then went too far, settling in an area not far from where his second shot had stopped. He wound up making a triple bogey seven, knocking him all the way down to 1-under.

“Thirteen is going to jump out at me as a hole that was the toughest pin on the whole championship, in my opinion,” Finau added.

“That green is pretty crazy right there where that pin is—just the wrong time to miss a shot. Anything can happen on this golf course. I’m just happy with the way I finished.”

Finau closed with five straight pars to card a 2-over 72.

Åberg, meanwhile, played two groups behind Finau and made a similar mistake.

“What happened to me on 13 is not ideal,” Åberg said.

Ludvig Åberg, U.S. Open

Ludvig Åberg hits out of the bunker on the 13th hole during the third round.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

“It doesn’t necessarily change the way that you try to approach this golf course. I think there’s only a certain way you can play it. If you don’t play that way, you’re going to get punished. That’s what I did.”

Unlike Finau, the Swede tugged his drive on 13 into the native area left of the fairway. He then hit his second shot just short of the green, exacerbated by the severe slope in front. Then Åberg airmailed his chip into the back bunker, and he, too, began to play some ping pong.

When his game on 13 ended, Åberg penciled in a dreadful seven, sending him back to 2-under for the championship. Meanwhile, his playing partner, Bryson DeChambeau, had all the momentum in the world.

Now DeChambeau leads by three over Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, and Matthieu Pavon at 7-under. Åberg sits five back, while Finau is six. But if not for the unlucky 13th hole, they would still have a chance to win. And yet, their ping-pong games ended in disappointment, but they ended their shots at capturing that first major title, too.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

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Bryson DeChambeau stayed patient during the U.S. Open on Saturday, which eventually paid off for him down the stretch. He wound up firing his third straight round in the 60s, carding a third round 3-under 67. That score gives him a three-shot lead at 7-under for the championship.

He picked up an impressive 3.13 strokes with his putter, which ranks fourth during the third round. DeChambeau needed only 25 putts during round three, as he leads the field with 1.46 putts per green.

“Made a lot of great putts today. I’ll tell you that,” DeChambeau said.

“Pleased with how I struck it for the most part. Tomorrow it’s the same quote I’ve said all week—trying to have boring golf. Middle of the greens never moves, so I am going to try and hit a lot of the greens, give myself some good looks on some holes and two-putt a lot.”

He made three crucial par saves to open his round and keep pace with his fellow contenders. A bogey on the 4th dropped a shot, but it did not last, as he got it back on the par-5 5th. Another birdie followed at the 7th.

Then, during a stretch in which he made back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes, DeChambeau began to battle hip tightness. That did not stop him. His lead extended to four at the par-4 14th when he sank his fifth birdie of the day.

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

However, a double bogey on the par-4 16th diminished the lead to two. That hiccup did not phase him as he made his sixth birdie on the day at the par-3 17 to head into Sunday with a three-shot advantage.

The crowds showed up all day for the Grapevine, Texas, resident. Like the PGA Championship, the fans could not get enough of him.

Fans chanted USA-USA-USA from DeChambeau’s opening tee shot until he walked off the course. Not to mention his hilarious “Don’t boo me, I’m sorry” comment to the crowd on 13 when he did not choose to hit driver.

Throughout the day, he spoke to fans, signed autographs and enjoyed the crowds.

“It gives me a spike in my adrenaline and allows me to focus more on delivering for the fans, myself and my family. It inspires me,” DeChambeau said.

It is massive for the fans to get behind him as a LIV Golf player. He was not a fan favorite when he played on the PGA Tour. Some liked him, and many did not.

However, things changed when he began showing off his personality through his social media and YouTube Channels. More people saw who he truly was, and for the past two major championships, the fans have gravitated toward him.

“It’s meant a lot to me. Just thinking back three years ago, the landscape was a lot different,” DeChambeau said. “I tried to show everybody who I was. I didn’t do it the right way and could have done a lot of things better.”

“I’m lucky enough to have a great team around me to help me move in the right direction with the content we’re producing, social media, and a great perspective on life. That combination of things has allowed me to not only have a new perspective but an opportunity to show myself in a different light and entertain the fans out there.”

DeChambeau has a new outlook on life, where he chooses to focus on the positive things. So far, this has grown his brand massively, especially in the majors.

He is 18 holes away from winning his second U.S. Open in four years.

DeChambeau will play alongside Frenchman Matthieu Pavon in the final group of the day. They tee off at 2:21 p.m. ET.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.